This article talks about the importance of the client engagement. 

Let’s be honest. As coaches, we are not doing our clients any favors.⁣

The Value of Client Engagement

Unfortunately, too many think they are. The definition of favor is, “an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual” and typically does not involve a “fee for service” which most of us collect when we meet with a client. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we can be friends with our clients. I’ve established a lot of great relationships with over the years. Some of my closest friends were clients at one time. Friends or not, we still have a job to do.⁣

You’re a coach and disagree? Perhaps you should look at the definition of Client, and being friends with them isn’t an excuse to give less.

We also need to remind ourselves that the service we provide revolves around our client’s health, something that our service has an impact on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So, when questions are asked, we should answer… in great detail.⁣

These things come to mind every time I hear stories about a coach telling clients to “save you questions for check-in.” And the one that really gets under my skin is the blow-off response “Trust the Process” when asked why a coach is having a client do something in particular. If you are paying someone for a service, you are entitled to answers and a reasonable amount of feedback and engagement.

Look, I agree you probably shouldn’t send 20 messages and emails a day to your coach, but if you have legitimate questions pertaining to the service you are paying for, you should be able to ask anytime. Just be courteous and understand not all can give immediate responses as we do work…many hours.⁣

For example, in the interest of time management, a good coach may set a specific time (or 2) a day for responses, and the responses will usually be short and sweet if the questions is fully answered. This is perfectly acceptable because it typically generates a same day response, within a 24 hour period at the latest.⁣

But questions and feedback only at check-in? Unacceptable in every sense of the word.  As far as questions go, my motto is (and my clients know this):

“QUESTION EVERYTHING!”⁣